Effective April 13, 2026, UPS international fuel surcharge tables move higher for both Ground and Air services. This is a structural upward reset of both matrices: Ground shifts from a prior published range of 20.25%–23.25% to 25.50%–28.50%, (the published ranges cover different fuel-price bands, so the shift in published tiers is larger than the actual increase at equivalent fuel prices) while the revised Air table publishes rates of 37.25%–40.25% for Export and 41.00%–44.00% for Import.
On an equivalent fuel-price basis, the increase is best described as similar across both products rather than more severe in Air. Ground rises by roughly +2.25 to +3.00 points across comparable tiers, while Air increases by a flat +2.25 points at equivalent jet fuel prices. Air surcharge levels remain higher in absolute terms, but the incremental change is not necessarily larger than Ground. Both tables also preserve the same weekly, index-based EIA methodology and extend to higher upper tiers, increasing exposure if fuel prices move higher.
The Ground change is the clearest structural reset: the March 2 table topped out at 23.25%, and the new April 13 table restarts at 25.50%, immediately lifting the entire published schedule higher while maintaining the same $0.12 band width and 0.25-point progression. Air follows the same structural logic, with the April 13 table maintaining the same $0.04 band width and 0.25-point progression while resetting the published schedule to materially higher absolute surcharge levels.
The practical effect is straightforward: beginning April 13, the same underlying fuel benchmarks will generate higher surcharge percentages than under the prior schedule. Ground should see steady, moderate cost pressure from the higher matrix, while Air will continue to carry the higher absolute surcharge burden. In both cases, the expanded upper ends of the tables increase shipper exposure during periods of rising fuel
Shippers should expect higher fuel-related transportation costs beginning April 13, 2026, even if fuel prices do not change. Because both surcharge tables have shifted upward, the same diesel or jet fuel index levels will now map to higher surcharge percentages.
The impact should be consistent for Ground and meaningful for Air, with the key distinction being that Air remains much higher in absolute surcharge terms. Exposure also increases at the top end, since both tables now publish higher maximum surcharge levels than before.
💡 Effective April 13, 2026, UPS increases international fuel surcharge tables for both Ground and Air services.
💡 Ground moves from 20.25%–23.25% to 25.50%–28.50%, a structural upward reset of the published matrix.
💡 Air also resets higher, to 37.25%–40.25% for Export and 41.00%–44.00% for Import.
💡 On an equivalent fuel-price basis, Ground and Air increase by similar amounts; Air is higher in absolute surcharge terms, but the incremental increase is comparable to or slightly smaller than Ground.
💡 Expanded upper ranges increase shipper exposure during periods of rising fuel prices.
